Coastal protected area management and multi-tiered governance: the Cape Cod Model

Policy tools that allow for the coordination of various authorities at different levels of government are important for coastal protected areas. Frequently, multiple authorities manage these areas with varied and sometimes conflicting goals. This study examines a regulatory model implemented on the Cape Cod National Seashore in the US that uses federally-approved zoning to regulate private uses for protection of natural coastal resources. Local authorities implement the zoning which is designed to support national resource protection goals making this a prime model of cross-level governance for conservation. I use case study analysis to evaluate the program’s effectiveness by focusing on implementation and compliance in the context of multi-jurisdictional (i.e., national to local) relations. The analysis and subsequent discussion highlight the difficulties associated with implementation of intergovernmental mandates. Also, theoretical perspectives on compliance give insights about the implementation challenges of this model. The model’s limitations have implications for policymakers considering similar schemes implemented by split and hierarchical authorities with different, and possibly conflicting, coastal management goals.

衡阳蔬菜产业现状、优势、存在问题和发展思路

针对衡阳调整农业产业化结构、稳定市场供应,正确认识衡阳蔬菜产业优势,使蔬菜产业逐步向标准化、规模化、产业化、特色化、品牌化方向发展,更利于服务三农、丰富蔬菜市场,提出了发展思路与策略.     

Strategic environmental disclosure: Evidence from the DOE's voluntary greenhouse gas registry

Although mandatory disclosure programs have been studied extensively, strategic voluntary environmental disclosures by firms are not well understood. We study the motivations for and impacts of firms' strategic disclosure of greenhouse gas reductions to the US government. We first model firms' joint abatement and disclosure decisions, incorporating both economic and political incentives. We then use data from the Department of Energy's Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Registry to compare reported reductions to actual emissions. We find that participants in the program engage in highly selective reporting: in the aggregate, they increase emissions over time but report reductions. In contrast, non-participants decrease emissions over time. Participants tend to be large firms facing strong regulatory pressure; pressure from environmental groups reduces the likelihood of participation, suggesting such groups viewed the program as a form of greenwash. Participating in the 1605(b) program had no significant effect on a firm's changes in carbon intensity over time.     

Assessing the Impacts of Establishing MPAs on Fishermen and Fish Merchants: The Case of Lyme Bay,UK

Shortly after the implementation of a marine protected area (MPA) in Lyme Bay in 2008, inside which scallop dredging and bottom trawling is prohibited, a socio-economic impact assessment was initiated. This article presents the initial findings from this study. The aim was to understand the costs and benefits to fishermen and fish merchants of establishing the MPA. These were assessed using a combination of primary and secondary data. The results indicate that the impacts of the closure differ according to the gear type and the fishing location used by the fishermen. Static gear fishermen who fish inside the closed area have seen changes in terms of increased fishing effort, mostly because they have been able to increase the number of crab and whelk pots they deploy. The effects of the closure on static gear fishermen who fish outside the closed area has been reported in terms of increased conflicts with towed gear fishermen who now fish regularly in their traditional grounds. Fishermen using towed gear on the other hand have been impacted through displacement effects as they have been forced to look for other fishing grounds outside the closed area. Most fish merchants and processors initially claimed that they were heavily impacted by the closure but when they were interviewed 1 year after the closure they suggested a more stable picture. Preliminary analyses of landings data indicate that the introduction of the MPA has so far had minimal impacts on the average incomes and financial profits of fishermen and fish merchants. This conclusion, however, reflects a short-term view as the impacts of the closure of Lyme Bay are likely to be felt for a long time to come.     

Economic Feasibility Study for Phosphorus Recovery Processes

Phosphorus recovery from wastewater has become a necessity for sustainable development because phosphorus is a non-renewable essential resource, and its discharge into the environment causes serious negative impacts. There are no economic incentives for the implementation of phosphorus recovery technologies because the selling price of rock phosphate is lower than phosphorus recovered from sewage. The methodologies used to determine the feasibility of such projects are usually focused on internal costs without considering environmental externalities. This article shows a methodology to assess the economic feasibility of wastewater phosphorus recovery projects that takes into account internal and external impacts. The shadow price of phosphorus is estimated using the directional distance function to measure the environmental benefits obtained by preventing the discharge of phosphorus into the environment. The economic feasibility analysis taking into account the environmental benefits shows that the phosphorus recovery is viable not only from sustainable development but also from an economic point of view.     

基于摩拜骑行数据的上海市共享单车减排效益时空分析

移动互联网环境下的共享单车能够有效减少机动化出行,可在一定成程度上缓解当下交通污染、气候变化等问题,具有显著的减排效益.本研究基于上海市摩拜单车的骑行数据,结合精细化的交通方式排放因子及共享单车替代率调查数据,计算共享单车与其替代交通方式相比所减少的温室气体排放和污染物排放,并分析共享单车减排效益的时空分布特征.结果表明：2016年上海市共享单车的CO₂、CO、HC、NO_x、PM_2.5和PM₁₀减排量分别为6322、74、8.57、6.33、0.32、0.48 t;在时间上具有典型的峰谷现象,其中,早晚高峰贡献了约45%的减排量;在空间上主要分布于中心城区,其中,南京东路街道单位面积减排量最高.因此,上海市共享单车的减排效益主要产生于早晚通勤交通与人口集聚的地区.为了提高共享单车的减排效益,政府和运营者需要在未来继续扩大共享单车的覆盖范围,增加在郊区的投放数量,鼓励更多外围居民使用共享单车.     

磷石膏对麦田CO2排放和小麦产量的影响及其经济环境效益分析

磷石膏是一种可以利用的磷化工废渣,本文以磷石膏为麦田温室气体减排剂,研究磷石膏对小麦生长、麦田温室气体二氧化碳(CO2)排放的影响,并分析磷石膏资源化利用的经济环境效益.结果表明,在常规施肥条件下,增施磷石膏2 100kg·hm-2能显著促进小麦生长,增产达37.71%.磷石膏对麦田CO2的减排作用在小麦生长的各个时期有所不同:施用磷石膏1 050 kg·hm-2处理,在小麦生长拔节期、抽穗期和灌浆期对麦田CO2的减排效果较为明显,相比对照分别减少8%、10%和6%;在整个小麦生长季累计减少CO2排放3%;施用磷石膏2 100 kg·hm-2处理,在小麦越冬返青期、拔节期和抽穗期,相比对照减少CO2排放11%、4%和12%,在小麦生长季累计减少CO2排放7%.磷石膏施用量较大的处理对CO2的抑制和减排效果较好.研究还表明在施用磷石膏的情况下,一定范围内,CO2的排放强度(单位鲜重CO2排放与单位产量CO2排放)与小麦穗长、鲜重和产量呈现显著负相关:即穗长越长,鲜重和产量越大,CO2的排放效率越低.在碳交易背景下,磷石膏资源化利用具有较高的经济和环境效益,主要体现在:与对照相比,投入/产出从1∶8.3变为1∶10.7,即在相同投入的情况下可提高28.92%的产出;每吨磷石膏作为麦田温室气体减排剂,可节省治理环境的费用与增产总额合计约290元.废渣磷石膏资源化利用,不仅可以减少环境污染、促进小麦生长,而且可以减少CO2排放,对发展低碳农业、生态农业以及可持续发展农业具有重要应用价值.     

空气质量的公众感知偏差

已有研究表明公众对空气质量的感知存在偏差,即公众感知与客观数据不一致或不相符。公众感知空气质量的特点包括直观性、适应性和经验性,并受到人口学变量、社会经济因素和地区差异的影响。针对这一偏差在我国的表现,文章提出了3点启示:注重社会舆论导向,倡导理性公众感知;倡导全民参与,积极回应公众关切;将公众感知纳入空气质量指标。     

The classification of lands managed for conservation: existing and proposed frameworks, with particular reference to Australia

Comprehensive classification systems to accurately account for lands managed for biodiversity conservation, are an essential component of conservation planning and policy. The current international classification systems for lands managed for nature conservation are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on Australia. The need for a broader, all-encompassing, categorisation of lands managed for conservation is presented and a proposed broader categorisation system is developed—the Conservation Lands Classification. This classification system has the advantage of incorporating data on both tenure and protection mechanisms and has been applied in this paper using conservation lands in three Australian jurisdictions as examples. It is envisaged that this method of classification has the potential to significantly improve the ability to measure current and future trends in nature conservation across all land types at a variety of scales and hence is put forward in order to stimulate discussion on this important topic.     

秸秆生物质炭土地利用的环境效益研究

农田土壤有机碳矿化释放CO2是农业温室气体排放的重要途径,促进土壤碳截获对于减缓全球温室效应具有重要意义。生物质炭具有改良土壤性质、促进土壤团聚体的形成、对土壤微生物生态具有调控作用等特性。因此,生物质炭对增强土壤碳截获能力及减少土壤CO2气体排放可能具有重要作用。采用实验室盆栽的方式,以黑麦草为目标植物,对农业秸秆生物质炭土地利用的环境效益进行了研究。实验结果表明：农业秸秆制生物质炭应用于农田土壤能产生多方面的环境效益。与对照相比,添加1%~4%生物质炭处理的土壤活性有机质质量分数均增加了25%以上,土壤呼吸度降低了23%~50%,同时,添加生物质炭对植物的生长也有促进作用。添加4%秸秆炭的处理的黑麦草生物量增加了68%。此外,秸秆生物质炭的添加对土壤中的养分具有较好的持留功能,与比照相比,添加生物质炭处理的土壤淋出液中氮和磷质量浓度显著降低,说明生物质炭能够有效减少水冲刷造成的氮磷流失,降低农业面源污染。